Camcorder Controls: How To Use the Iris

The iris is an aperture that controls the amount of light that
comes in through the lens of a camera. The principles of the iris are
the same as the human eye. When light is exposed to the eye, the pupils
become small allowing a small amount of light in while allowing us to
see. The opposite reaction happens when there is not enough light. Our
pupils widen to allow more light in. Just like our own eyes, the iris on
the camera is quite convenient when controlling the brightness of an
image. As a result, this creates a quick method to adjust the correct
amount of exposure seen on a video image.

STEP 1: Read the Manual

Every camera works differently so it is best to refer to your manual
if you are unsure at anytime. The iris setting is beneficial to the look
of your image in an instant when the exposure is not properly balanced
for your subject. The iris is also beneficial in a situation when an
image appears to contain a hot spot of light which washes out the color
from a subject. The iris setting can fix this problem by properly
portraying the proper lighting and color to the subject.

STEP 2: Checking the Presets

Once you have referred to your manual, you are now able to access
your presets under your menu options. This setting is categorized with
features associated with the white balance and gain settings. To
manually control the iris preset, you must activate this setting by
physically selecting it. As a result, manual iris permits camera users
more control to tweak and adjust levels of exposure. Once the preset is
selected, you are now able to adjust the levels on the iris.

STEP 3: Adjusting the Levels

Most iris adjustments are dials located near the sides or next to the
record button on the video camera. In order to adjust the proper levels
on the iris, you must spin the dial to correspond with the range of
exposure. Each opposing direction on the dial gives you both spectrum of
exposure from bright to dark. The iris levels are labeled in f-stops. A
high f-stop results in a darker image. A low f-stop results in a
brighter image. Once you have become familiar with the adjustment levels
on the iris, you are now able to apply the levels onto your subject.

STEP 4: Apply the Levels

After you become familiar with the levels on the iris, it is now time
to apply the proper levels to your video image. In order to apply the
correct amount of exposure to your subject, you must first adjust your
iris to the brightest level possible. Once the highest level is
selected, lower your iris setting slowly while viewing the subject
through the viewfinder. If your video image is over blown, the detail on
your subject may be lost due to bright blown out spots. In order to
find the proper exposure balance you must be aware of any over blown
spots within the image. Finally, you must also make sure that the detail
and colors of your image are not washed out. Once the levels are
balanced, you now have a properly exposed video image.